Les and crew climb to 16,000 ft up dangerous Mt. Sinkara to join 80,000 indigenous Andeans as they make their yearly pilgrimage to the holy site of Qollorit’i. Les has been given special entrance with the Ukukus, the Spiritual Warriors of the Inka Tradition, and will be joining the Warriors on their quest to reach the glacial summit surpassing base camp to reach an astounding 17,000 ft. Here Les will be the first Westerner and only person in history to film the ancient Inka rituals performed by over 200 Ukuku Warriors on the edge of the glacial sheet.

Les and the Ukukus, masked in costume and armed with long, leather whips, must survive on the glacial edge for the night. If they succeed, they earn the right to break a piece of the glacial from the mountain’s edge and return to base camp carrying this frozen holy water on their backs. Dispensing this water to their communities, the Ukukus pay homage to the Spirit of the Mountain of Sinkara and appease the great spirits to live another year, so they may return to the holy mountain and pilgrimage again. This honouring of nature is central to their concept of survival.

With award winning, never before seen ceremonial and survival footage, Les Stroud crafted this stunningly beautiful and compelling series about connecting to the earth through survival and ancient ceremonies with indigenous cultures around the planet.

Directed By Les Stroud
Starring Les Stroud